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I mean, I'm working on the principle that this can't turn out well for Catalunya or for the rest of Spain, unless some agreed way out can be reached - not secession and not intervention of the government.

I'll watch out for that! I was being lazy saying Rajoy, I mean would catalan nationalists trust the PP on a political level? Wouldn't Rajoy split the party if he agreed to an official referendum? Or risk Ciudadanos snatching the flag waving vote? I don't see the upside for the PP in ever agreeing to a referendum.

He can't agree to a referendum - the sovereignty of Spain resides in the Spanish people. He can agree to reopening the constitution - in fact he already has, last week. And kindly let Pedro Sanchez (leader of PSOE) announce it.
I would have thought Puigdemont could get him to agree that a referendum on independence would go into the proposed new Constitution, agree a timescale, and that Catalan nationalists represent what, 15% of the board of "sabios" who draw up the new constitution. And then accept Rajoy's proposal of new elections if the Looney Tunes boat leaves Catalunya's shores with all the outside Guardias and Nationals on it. And on those conditions, withdraw the threat of secession. And he would have won, in that case, wouldn't he?

I can't see a way of granting a referendum without asking the Spanish people - which is why I expected a bribe, to be honest. It's the time-honoured way of solving these disputes. Opening up the constitution suggests a real way out, and a proper solution.

You're right about Ciudadanos snatching the flag waving vote. But their power base is in Catalunya so there is, I suppose.... and although it hasn't been very apparent, lately.... a degree of restraint on it. And as mentioned, Inés Arrimadas is married to one of the PDeCAT MPs.

On the other hand, the PSOE's role as PP sidekick in this kind of proves him and the general Podemos line right. Iglesias is more or less proposing what you are - another reason why I can't see the PP going for it.

So Puigdemont shouldn't have negotiated with Rajoy because Rajoy couldn't accept his conditions?
If this is a battle for foreign public opinion, where Rajoy conceded a hat-trick early on with the police thuggery, isn't it a bad idea to be the one holding the parcel when the actual battle starts?

Also, the PSOE is always going to have a hold over Spanish opinion because out of all these parties, they are the only one who ever actually managed to do something to improve the lot of the Spanish working class. If you want to effect change (and I'm not sure I even believe Iglesias does), you *have* to engage with them.
I was outraged the day they refused to negotiate. In fact, I expect I predicted all this, then.

The PSOE didn't want to talk to Podemos for ages before that and has been for years a pro austerity, i.e. anti working class, party. Unless it changes, Podemos must attack it as enthusiastically as possible on all fronts.

I don't think international public opinion is the decider at all. It rarely is.

Keep meaning to ask, whatever happened to that scandal where a PP leader admitted to a conspiracy involving the PP, the spooks and the right wing media spying on political opponents, especially I think catalan ones?

The PSOE didn't want to talk to Podemos for ages before that and has been for years a pro austerity, i.e. anti working class, party. Unless it changes, Podemos must attack it as enthusiastically as possible on all fronts.

Hang on - that's wrong. Citizens' groups representatives centred round Podemos are in power in Spain's three biggest cities with the support of PSOE. All those agreements were reached before the elections.
The people in Podemos who want to work with PSOE nationally - Errejón, Bescansa - are the ones who have a realistic chance of changing anything.

Can't agree. Podemos's selling point is that they don't accept the current establishment set up, economically and constitutionally. They have to keep showing that or they just become an adjunct to the PSOE. More than happy for Podemos to ally with or melt into the PSOE when it stops backing austerity and police state measures, but I think that would only happen if Podemos overtook them.

We’d be well screwed if the PSOE took that line - the mayors are the bright spot of Spanish politics. Remember the right will always unite to defeat you (something tells me you’ve probably had discussions on this theme before).

Today Rajoy will explain how the 155 will be applied.
Probably replace the Catalan government and direct control of the Mossos and Catalan media.
Any declaration of independence will be treated as rebellion according to the fiscalia.

The king has piped up again. Helpful as ever. Maybe should stick to killing elephants like his daddy.

__________________
He loves you now 'cause you are thin, but you'll be spending your life sucking your stomach in.

Crónica de una catástrofe anunciada.
Still time for Puigdemont to call elections. The two of them, Rajoy and Puigdemont, look like two men trapped in the cockpits of bulldozers rolling towards each other.

Apparently the Spanish government are planning new elections in Catalonia. Perhaps a way forward would be for the Madrid and Catalan governments to agree on a framework for these, as a way out of the impasse?

Podemos's selling point is that they don't accept the current establishment set up,

Not sure that is true on the ground, everywhere in Spain, as Podemos tends to work as a collective, so in some towns/juntas, local Podemos does work alongside the "establishment". Although also, not sure what the "establishment" is in Spanish terms. Here, in Andalucia, the "establishment" can be anyone who works inside a junta building. If they effect some control over freedom to do what you want, when you want, then they are the "establishment".

__________________Where am I goin'? I don't know. When will I be there?I ain't certain. What will I get? I ain't equipped to say.